1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an improved information management method for use in an information management server that manages information in a network system that provides client terminals with information, and to the configuration of a system that reduces the load on a management server in a load distributed system.
2. Description of Related Art
Systems which manage information provided in response to requests from client terminals in a network system can be classified into centralized and distributed configurations. A centralized information management system includes an information management server that integrally manages management information in the network system, and the information management server provides information in response to the client terminals. In such a system configuration, the system load involved in providing information is concentrated on the management server.
On the other hand, in a distributed information management system, the information management server delivers information, which will be provided to the client terminals, to a plurality of information providing servers for storage on those servers. The client terminals, which are divided into groups, access only a corresponding information management server. This “distributed” configuration reduces the load on the information management server. However, this distributed information management system requires close communication between the information providing servers and the information management server to confirm that the information providing servers are providing services normally based on the delivered information. This communication increases network traffic and the overall load on the servers.
In addition, when the status of the client terminals is monitored in the server side in such a distributed information management system, the information management server is usually responsible for monitoring the status of the client terminals.
As described above, whether a client-server network system is centralized or distributed, the functions tend to centralize on the servers. As more client terminals are connected, the load on the server becomes heavier. A need therefore exists for an information management method that reduces the load on the server.
This condition also applies to a distributed information management system. That is, as more clients are connected, more information providing servers are required and, as a result, the load increases on the information management server that communicates with the information providing servers. Thus, the distributed information management system does not provide a final solution for reduction of load on the server.
The present invention seeks to solve the problems associated with the related art as described above. It is an object of the present invention is to provide an information management server that implements an improved information management method.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a client terminal management server that can reduce the load on a management server managing the system in a load distributed system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a management server for use in a load distributed system that can provide the client system with information useful to reduce the load.